Apparatus for attaching objects to each other

ABSTRACT

An elastic band defines a double loop for placement about a book, a book cover or the like and about a container for audiovisual material or the like used in conjunction with the book. The double loop is stitched together along a straight line for minimal band bulk between the book and the container to reduce the required storage space. The band has a sufficient width to both firmly hold the container and to orient it with respect to the book for a neat and orderly appearance.

United States Patent [191 I Lum [ APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING OBJECTS TO EACH OTHER [76] Inventor: Albert K. W. Lum, 1711 Yamada Ln., Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 [22] Filed: Apr. 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 242,029

[52] US. Cl 206/225, 24/17 B, 24/81 DM, 35/8 A, 206/387, 206/478, 206/805 [51] Int. Cl B65d 79/00, B65d 63/10 [58] Field of Search 206/47 R, 65 B, D16. 6;

24/3 A, 16 R, 17 R, 17 B, 81 A, 81 AG, 81 CC, 81 DM, 81 SK, 115 H; 281/30, 37; 35/8 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,501 9/1875 Alderson 281/30 UX 308,942 12/1884 Yewell 281/37 11] 3,823,814 [451 July 16,1974

1,006,584 10/1911 Millsaps 24/17 B 1,635,967 7/1927 206/47 R UX 2,997,306 8/1961 Hicks 35/8 A X 3,112,826 12/1963 Blum 206/65 C 3,553,851 3/1969 Paige 35/8 A 3,642,125 2/1972 Johnson 206/47 R Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Townsend and Townsend [57] ABSTRACT An elastic band defines a double loop for placement about a book, a book cover or the like and about a container for audiovisual material or the like used in conjunction with the book. The double loop is stitched together along a straight line for minimal band bulk between the book and the container to reduce the required storage space. The band has a sufficient width to both firmly hold the container and to orient it with respect to the book for a neat and orderly appearance.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING OBJECTS TO EACH OTHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For use by upper elementary and high school students related multimedia materials, such as books and tapes, books and film strips, or film strips with tapes, are frequently used by students to fulfill research assignments.

If the materials to be used with each other become physically separated there is a good likelihood they will eventually be lost. On the other hand, it is often impossible and in any event difficult and expensive to incorporate a storage space for one of the objects, e.g., for a tape cassette in the other one of the objects, e.g., the book cover although such devices have been suggested in the prior art and in particular in U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,851.

It is also known to construct relatively expensive strapping assemblies to attach objects to each other as for carrying books. Such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,847,501, for example. The device shown in that-patent, however, is too bulky and complicated to manipulate for widespread use particularly among young children.

A more simple band for placement about the books but incapable of attaching objects such as cassettes and the like to a book is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 308,942.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides means for attaching audiovisual material stored in a container to a book or the like which is simple and inexpensive to construct and which can be readily manipulated even by young grade school children. The device is constructed of readilyavailable elastic band material and assembled so that it has minimum bulk to prevent an undue increase in the required storage space for the book and the audiovisual material attached thereto. The device is further constructed so that it orients the container with respect to the book for a neat and orderly appearance.

Generally speaking, the device of the present invention comprises a length of elastic band material the ends of which-are stitched together. The band is placed about the book or a book cover and the container with the container usually positioned adjacent a flat side ora back of the book. Portions of the band between-the book and the container are stitched together along a straight line and substantially parallel to the adjacent book surface to define two loops which demountably grip the book and the-container and which secure the two together. The band material has a sufficient width, usually at least linch, so that it orients the book container with respect to the book.

. of the present invention applied to a container for audiovisual material;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a book in which the device of FIG. 1 is applied to the book cover;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrates the device gripping a film container; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hard cover folder in which the devices of FIGS. 1 and 3 are applied to the inside of the folder for storage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an attachment device 6 of the present invention is constructed of a length of elastic band 8 which usually has a width of at least about an inch. Ends 10 of the band overlap and are secured to each other by stitching 12. Intermediate portions 14 of the band are stitched together along, a

straight line 16 to thereby define a first, larger loop 18 and a second, smaller loop 20. Straight line stitches 16- lie in an imaginary plane that is immediately adjacent and parallel to straight band sections 28 of small loop 20 extending away from stitching 16.

The device is used by stretching the band portion defining the smaller loop until it can be placed about a container or cassette 22 for audiovisual material such as magnetic tape 24 or the like. By virtue of the elasticity of band 8 the small loop can be placed about articles of widely varying'sizes such as the magnetic tape'cassette, a film spool 26 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4), a box containing photographic slides (not shown) or the like. The band is selected so that it has sufficient width and inherent rigidity to orient cassette 22, that is, to maintain the cassette aligned with straight line stitches 16.

The band portion defining, large loop 18 is then stretched to place the large loop over flat cover 30 of a book 32. Alternatively, the large loop can be placed about the whole book '(not shown) although this mannet of attaching it to the book is not preferred'because of the rubber band since straight line stitching 16 takes up virtually no space. The bulk of the rubber band between the cassette and the book is thereby minimized so that therequired storage space for the book, with the cassette attached to it as described above, is also minimized.

To assure the required stiffness and rigidity of the elastic band for orienting relatively heavy cassettes, slide boxes and the like, the band is preferably a'relatively strong nylon elastic band webbing of a width of at least about an inch. More conventional cotton, rayon or other elasticbands can be'substituted. Such bands are commercially available on the market place under the common name elastic bands. The elastic bands are inexpensive, lend themselves ideally for stitching and can be laundered so that they can be maintained clean and sanitary even afterv extended use.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a different use of device 6 illustrated in FIGS. I and 2 is shown. The smaller parallel to the flat cover surloop is placed about a cylindrical container or film spool 26 for attachment to a book (not shown) or for attachment to a hard cover folder 36. Such a folder has a book-like appearance (but no pages) and comprises flat covers 38 and a back 40 which spaces the covers apart. Larger loop 18 is placed about the cover while film spool 26 is disposed between the covers. The folder can be employed to store several objects. In FIG. 4 it is illustrated to simultaneously hold an attachment device 6 which carries a tape cassette 22. Other objects or a plurality of cassettes or film spools can of course be attached to the folder if desired for the neat and orderly, yet inexpensive, storage of audiovisual material and the like.

I claim:

1'. In combination an object including at least one flat side, a container and audiovisual material stored in the container, a first loop of a band material placed about at least a portion of the object and across the flat surface, a second loop of the band material placed about the container, the band having a width and a stiffness sufficient to maintain a predetermined orientation ofthe container, and means securing the first and second loops to each other for demountably attaching the container to the object and for simultaneously orienting the container with respect to the first object.

2. The combination'of claim 1 wherein the object comprises a book.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the loops are stitched together along a straight line for minimal band bulk between the object and the container to minimize the space required for their storage.

7. In combination a book having a flat side, a relatively small container,-audiovisual material for use with the book disposed in the container, at length of an elastic band having a width of at least about an inch and ends stitched together, the band being placed about at least a portion of the book across the flat side thereof and about the container, and straight line stitching disposed between the container and the flat side in a plane substantially parallel to the flat side and interconnecting opposing portions of the band to form resilient first and second loops releasably gripping the book and the container, respectively, securing the container to the book and retaining the container and the book in close proximity while orienting the container with respect to the book. 

1. In combination an object including at least one flat side, a container and audiovisual material stored in the container, a first loop of a band material placed about at least a portion of the object and across the flat surface, a second loop of the band material placed about the container, the band having a width and a stiffness sufficient to maintain a predetermined orientation of the container, and means securing the first and second loops to each other for demountably attaching the container to the object and for simultaneously orienting the container with respect to the first object.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the object comprises a book.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the loops are stitched together along a straight line for minimal band bulk between the object and the container to minimize the space required for their storage.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the first and second loops are integrally constructed of a length of elastic band, and wherein the stitching lies in a plane substantially parallel to the flat surface.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the band has a width of at least about 1 inch to assure relative orientation of the container on the book.
 6. The combination of claim 5 including stitching securing ends of the band to each other to form the loops.
 7. In combination a book having a flat side, a relatively small container, audiovisual material for use with the book disposed in the container, a length of an elastic band having a width of at least about an inch and ends stitched together, the band being placed about at least a portion of the book across the flat side thereof and about the container, and straight line stitching disposed between the container and the flat side in a plane substantially parallel to the flat side and interconnecting opposing portions of the band to form resilient first and second loops releasably gripping the book and the container, respectively, securing the container to the book and retaining the container and the book in close proximity while orienting the container with respect to the book. 